The present invention relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices with peripheral devices connected thereto via PCMCIA interfaces.
Electronic devices, such as computers, may use various peripheral devices to increase flexibility and adaptability to various work environments. This may be especially true for computing devices such as hand-held computer terminals, lap-top computers, and vehicle mounted computing devices. Prior to development of standards for connecting peripheral devices to computers, computers often accepted only limited models and brands of peripheral devices. For example, memory cards often were designed to be plugged only into specific computer models.
A need to standardize the connection of peripheral devices to computing devices was soon recognized, however. Initially, the standardization of interchangeable memory cards was developed. These interchangeable memory cards were sometimes used in lieu of floppy diskettes for exchanging data or for expanding the memory of a computing device. The Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) was formed by several memory card manufacturers in the late 1980s to define memory card physical design, computer socket design, electrical interface, and associated software (referred to as the PCMCIA interface standard).
Memory cards complying with the PCMCIA interface standard (hereinafter xe2x80x9cPCMCIA cardsxe2x80x9d) are relatively small, having a length and width roughly the size of a credit card. PCMCIA cards are designed to slide into a receiving slot of a computing device. At one end of a PCMCIA card is an interface section which is in essence a female portion of a connector that mates with a male end in a receiving device.
The success of interchangeable PCMCIA memory cards led to the development of other types of peripheral devices using the PCMCIA interface standard. These devices included modems, sound cards, floppy disk controllers, hard drives, Global Positioning System (GPS) cards, local area network (LAN) cards, pagers, and radiotelephone cards. For example, a PCMCIA radiotelephone card may be inserted into the same PCMCIA interface of a computer as other PCMCIA devices.
Unfortunately, current PCMCIA interfaces may have limitations for certain types of peripheral devices connected thereto. For example, a PCMCIA interface may not provide sufficient electrical power to enable operation of a radiotelephone card. In addition, audio input and output, both to and from a radiotelephone card, may not be possible without some modification to a PCMCIA interface. To overcome these drawbacks, adapters are conventionally utilized with radiotelephone cards to provide adequate operational power from a computing device to a radiotelephone card and to provide audio input and output to and from a radiotelephone card.
Unfortunately, adapters utilized with radiotelephone cards to provide sufficient operational power may be somewhat large devices that protrude undesirably from a computing device. Large capacitors are conventionally used to store power from a PCMCIA interface until a level adequate for radiotelephone operation is obtained. Accordingly, obtaining power via a PCMCIA interface may somewhat limit size reduction for these radiotelephone card adapters. With portable computing devices, such as hand-held computing devices, these adapters may be particularly undesirable.
FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art adapter 10 used to provide operational power and audio functionality to a radiotelephone card 12 connected to a PCMCIA interface 13. The illustrated radiotelephone card 12 is located within a PCMCIA slot 14 of an electronic device 16. As is understood by those skilled in the art, the radiotelephone card 12 functions as a radiotelephone transceiver for transmitting and receiving radiotelephone communications. The illustrated adapter 10 is electrically connected to an interface (not shown) on the front end 12a of the radiotelephone card 12 and is secured thereto via a pair of clips 18a, 18b. An antenna 20 is pivotally connected to an end 22 of the illustrated adapter 10. The antenna 20 is electrically connected to a transceiver within the radiotelephone card 12 via an interface on the front end 12a of the radiotelephone card 12.
An alternative method of providing adequate operational power and audio functionality to radiotelephone cards via a PCMCIA interface may involve modifying the PCMCIA interface. Unfortunately, other PCMCIA peripheral cards may not work properly in a modified PCMCIA interface.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide adequate operational power and audio functionality to radiotelephone cards inserted within PCMCIA interfaces of electronic devices without requiring modification of the PCMCIA interface.
It is another object of the present invention to provide adequate operational power and audio functionality to radiotelephone cards inserted within PCMCIA interfaces of electronic devices without requiring bulky adapters.
These and other objects of the present invention may be provided by an adapter that can be removably secured to a radiotelephone card connected to a PCMCIA interface of an electronic device and that is configured to provide electrical power and audio functionality to the radiotelephone card. A radiotelephone card is removably secured within a PCMCIA peripheral device slot such that a first end of the PCMCIA card is electrically connected to a PCMCIA interface. An adapter according to the present invention is removably secured to a second end of the radiotelephone card and receives electrical power and audio input and output signals directly from an electronic device, and not via the PCMCIA interface. Electrical power and audio input and output signals are then provided directly to the radiotelephone card via the adapter. An antenna may be movably mounted to the adapter and electrically connected to the radiotelephone card.
Electronic devices incorporating the present invention are advantageous because adequate operational power and audio functionality can be provided to a radiotelephone card within a PCMCIA slot without modifying the PCMCIA interface. Furthermore, PCMCIA cards for other peripheral devices may be utilized within the same PCMCIA slot without compatibility concerns.
Adapters according to the present invention may be configured to be substantially flush with the housing of an electronic device. Accordingly, adapters according to the present invention are particularly advantageous when utilized with radiotelephone cards inserted in small devices such as hand-held computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and the like.